Sports opinions from the common man!

As an avid sports video game player I am always asked which game is better. That is a loaded question because it has a lot to do with your knowledge of the sport and style of games you enjoy. If you like a free flowing game with minimal stoppages then Fifa or NHL are probably more your kind of games. If you like running a play and getting a chance to reflect and adjust then games like Madden and NBA 2K will be perfect. That being said let’s take a closer look at what makes a good sports game and rank them.

Keys to a great sports video game:

Physics – The game must have realistic movements and physics that are appropriate for the situation. Nothing will infuriate a gamer more than a basketball player dunking from outside the three point line. (Unless you’re playing an arcade style game like NBA Jam)

Star Power – People want the players they love and they want them to look and move and act like they do in real life. Things are just weird if Aaron Rodgers has the same throwing motion as Phillip Rivers. Luckily for us all the games we will talk about have done a great job with this.

Playing Modes – Games need to have options for how you can play against people or the computer. Beating your friends over and over is fun but gets boring eventually. You need the choice to build a team or play as an up and coming guy or the chance to just play against someone random. Everyone has a different preference and they should be given the opportunity.

Top 3 Current Games

FIFA 17 – (FIFA 18 won’t come out for another week) This game has everything we talked about above and more. The physics are drastically better than the two previous years after it looked like the game was taking steps back. This version has taken the Ultimate Team game mode and made it even better. Added this year was The Journey where you play as young gun Alex Hunter and develop him through training and in games. Eventually you win the FA Cup and he becomes a player on your FUT team. The online Seasons play is my personal favorite because of the speed between games and the leveling of competition.

NBA 2K18 – This game just came out and it’s very addicting. The gameplay and graphics are better than ever as they have adjust the players body types to look more realistic. The best new thing is The Neighborhood mode which is a career type mode played as a open-world style game. You have side challenges and a story to follow. The face scan app has gotten much better so your player looks exactly like you. MyLeague is still the best part of the game and that will probably never change as it may be the best franchise mode in all sports games.

Madden 18 – What feels like the holy grail for sports games Madden has been #3 on my list for a few years now. While football is the best sport on the planet the game has just stayed to same for a couple years. The addition of Ultimate team has been a decent plus but it’s a lot harder to keep track of 53 guys as opposed to the 20 or so in FIFA and 12-15 in NBA 2K. Madden is still the goto game in the fall with your friends but it’s not the first game you put in when you’re just trying to get a quick couple games in by yourself.